Fluid-pressure regulator



(No Model.)

. G.' G. CLARK.

FLUID PRESSURE REGULATOR.

No. 596,140. Patented Dec. 28,1897. `==I L Igegfexf Hi image Qz'ee/ziegfQaz'li 1 grasses I r )'.y /Lz's @Anm-Ws, y I l rvr mums Ferns oo..Puornuno.. wAsMmcJoN. n, c.

ATnNr GEORGE GREENLEAF CLARK, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO HILLIARYELDRIDGE, SYLVAIN BLUN, AND DANIEL J. CLARK, OF SAME PLACE, AND SAMLAZARUS, OF SHERMAN, TEXAS.

FLUID-PRESSURE REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,140, dated December28, 1897.

Application filed February 3, 1897. Serial No. 621,878. (No model.) Y

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE GREENLEAF CLARK, a citizen of theUnitedStates, residing at Galveston, in the county of Galveston andState of Texas, have invented a new and useful Gas-Pressure Regulator,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gas-pressure regulators especially adapted foruse with gas stored under. high pressure in a cylinder or similarportable storage vessel. The regulator is interposed between andconnected to the storage vessel and the distributing-pipes andautomatically regulates the pressure of the gas in its passage from theformer to the latter.

The object of the invention is to produce a device of this charactersimple in construction, efficient in operation, and which may bemanufactured at a low cost and thereafter be easily kept in repair.

W'ith these objects in view the invention consists of the severaldetails of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims. p

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of thegas-regulator. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a part ofthe regulator onthe line a; .fr of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of a detached detail. y

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in the severalfigures.

The chamber 1, its lateral extension 2, and downwardly-extending pocket3 are all formed, preferably, in one casting, (indicated by 4.) Thatpart of the casting in which the chamber 1 is formed is preferablycylindrical in horizontal section and is provided at its upper end withan annular iiange 5, to which is bolted a cap-plate 6 by means of thebolts 7, a gasket 8 being interposed betweenthe cap-plate and the iiangefor the purpose of making a gas-tight joint. The cap-plate may bereadily detached for the purpose of affording access to the interior ofthe chamber 1. That part of the casting which forms the extension 2 ispreferably tubular in cross-secis formed in a depending part'of thecasting,

and the pocket converges from its upper to its lower portion, therebyincreasing the thickness of its wall at the lower part of the dependingcasting. This part of the casting is preferably cylindrical incross-section, and its lower end is reduced and screw-threaded, asindicated at 15, forY the purpose of connecting the regulator to thestorage vessel. The connection may be direct with the storage vessel, ora pipe may be used intermediate the regulator and the storage vessel, ascircumstances may require. The threaded portion is provided with apassa-ge-way 16, through which the gas will pass from the storage vesselto the regulator.

17 represents a tapered' plug-valve seated in a suitable recess 18,extending transversely through the depending casting. The plug is heldsecurelyin its seat by means of a washer 19 and a screw 20, the screwpassing into the small end of the plug and the washer being interposedbetween the head of the screw and the outer wall of the dependingcasting, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The plug-valve is provided with anopening 21, extending through it and adapted to register with thepassage-way 16, and this opening is enlarged and threaded at one end. Alever 22 is threaded at its lower end vinto the enlarged portion of theopening 21 in the plug-valve 17, and this lever is provided with alongitudinal bore 23, extending longitudinally of the plug for somedistance, where it communicates with an opening 24, extendingtransversely through the lever. The longitudinal opening in the levercommunicates with the opening in the plug, and a passage-way is therebyformed for the gas from the storage vessel into the chamber 1. The upperend of the lever 22 is reduced, as indicated at 25, and the reducedportion is provided with an elongated opening 2G.

27 represents a rod having a threaded end which passes through thediaphragm 12 and is iirmly secured thereto by means of the nuts 28, oneon each side of the diaphragm, and the metal washers 29 and rubberwashers 30, the washers being interposed between the nuts and thediaphragm, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, for the purpose of making agas-tight joint where the rod passes through the diaphragm. The otherend of the rod 27 is T- shaped, as indicated at 31, and this T-shapedend is secured to one end of a reversely-bei1t plate-spring 32, theother end ofV said spring being iirmly secured to the wall of thechamber 1 by means of bolts 33 and nuts 34, suitable washers 35 beinginterposed between the nuts and the wall of the chamber to form agas-tight joint. The rod 27 is provided with a slotted opening 2G,through which the reduced end 25 of the lever 22 passes, and a pin 37extends through the rod 27 and the opening 26 in the upper end of thelever 22. The tension or power of the spring 32 will be such that thespring will maintain its normal position until the pressure of the gasin the chamber 1 exceeds a predetermined pressure of the gas intheservice-pipe; but as soon as the pressure in the chamber 1 exceeds thispredetermined pressure in the service-pipe the spring 32 will yield tothe action of the diaphragm 12, caused by the excessive pressure, andpermit the rod 27 to be moved in order to close the valve 17 to cut oit`the supply of gas.

3G is a pipe leading from the chamber 1 to convey the gas to theservice-pipes.

The flange 5 and cap-plate G are perforated, as indicated at 37, for thereception ot' bolts, by means of which the regulator may be secured toany suitable support--as, for instance, the bottom of a railway-car.

The operation of the device is as follows:v

The regulator having been properly connected to the storage vessel andthe service-pipes, gas is admitted from the storage vessel through thepassage-Way 16, plug-valve 17, bor 23, and through the transverseopening 21 into the chamber 1, and the pressure of the gas in thechamber 1 will soon be equal to that of the gas in thestorage-reservoir. Then this pressure is in excess of what is requiredin the service-pipes, the diaphragm l2 will be forced outwardly and thespring 32 will yield, thereby moving the rod 27 to the left and causingthe lever 22 to turn the plugvalve 17 in its seat to close communicationbetween the storage vessel and the chamber 1. As the spring 32 will beof such tension or power as to permit the diaphragm l2 to move outwardlyonly when the pressure in the chamber 1 exceeds the predeterminedpressure of the gas in the service-pipes, it is obvious that as the gasis consumed at the burners connected with the scrviee-pipes the pressurein the cylinder will be reduced, and the spring 32 will then retract therod 27 and thereby shift the lever 22 to cause it to open the plug-valve17 and again permit the gas to ilow from the storage vessel into thecylinder.

It will thus be seen that the regulator automatically controls thepressure of the gas in the service-pipes, that the construction issimple, and that it maybe easily taken apart for the purpose of repairor the renewal of any of its parts.

1t will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any ot' the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a gas-pressureregulator, the combination with a chamber adapted to be connected to thesource of gas-supply, and a turning-plug valve in the gas-conduitbetween the chamber and source 0f supply, of a lever connected to theplug-valve and having a passage-way formed therein to establishcommunication between the passage in the plug-valve and the chamber, arod connected intermediate its ends to the lever and one of its endsbeing T-shaped, adiaphragm within the chamber to which one end of therod is connected, a reversely-bent plate-sprin g secured to the wall ofthe chamber and to the T-shaped end of the rod, and a service-pipeleading from the chamber substantially as described.

2. In a gas-pressure regulator, the combination with a chamber adaptedto be connected to the source of gas-supply, and a turning-plu g in thegas-conduit between the chamber and source of supply, said plug having atransverse opening threaded at one end, of a lever secured at one end inthe threaded portion of the opening in the plug-valve and having apassage-way formed therein to cstablish communication between thepassage in the plug-valve and the chamber, a diaphragm within thechamber, a rod having a spring-support at one end and connected at itsother end to the diaphragm, said rod also having a pin-and-slotconnection with the upper end of said lever, and a service-pipe leadingfrom the chamber, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE GREENLEAF CLARK.

Witnesses:

B. I. WILLcoxoN, M. GRUMBACH.

ICO

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